HMS Victory

[tock24]

Why was the Victory preserved? Did she miss the scrap yard by chance, or was a concerted effort made to preserve her?

[Octavius]

Because of her role in the Battle of Trafalgar, the Victory currently has a dual role as the flagship of the Second Sea Lord and as a living museum to the Georgian navy.

In 1922, amid fears for her continued survival, the Victory was moved into Portsmouth's Royal Naval Dockyard and placed in No2 Dry Dock. Work then began on restoring the Victory to her 'fighting' 1805 condition.

[PFD]

I believe a hefty proportion of Victory's timbers have been replaced over the years, so in effect the ship is not "preserved" so much as constantly renewed!

I live a quarter of a mile away, and it's fairly common to see the masts taken down for repair or the hull clad in plastic sheets while timbers are replaced.

[DeeTees]

Just as well that the old Sea Lords had the presence of mind to preserve her. The way the present administration is treating our Defence Forces we might have need of her yet.

[GOONBIRD]

about twenty years ago, a large quantity of ships timbers were discovered below the floor of a building, which was being demolished. i think that it was at devenport dockyard. the report stated that they were removed from hms victory, during refurbishment after trafalgar. more of hms victory was supposed to be there than in portsmouth dockyard! 

[1rovert]

I've heard that there has been enough bits of Victory sold as souvenirs, to build a fleet of them.